Hooshyar Khayam () is a British-Iranian music performer, composer, and teacher. He lives in Ottawa, Canada.
Early life and education Hooshyar Khayam was born in 1978 in Bedford, England; to Iranian parents, visual artist Pariyoush Ganji and music composer Masud Khayam. He started studying music at the age of seven and studied music under the supervision of various professors.
Khayam obtained an associate degree in piano playing in music theory 1996; and a BA degree in 1997 from Trinity College London; and a BA degree in Iranian music from Iran Arts University in 1999. He has a BA degree in Iranian music from the University of the Arts London.
Khayam has a MA and a PhD in composition and conducting from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where he studied under Gao Weijie, Miguel Roig-Francoli, Lee Fiser, Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, Mark Gibson, Joel Hoffman, Michael Chertock, and Robert Zierolf.
Music "… a true blend of Persian and European music…" (Songlines*****) Khayam's music blends influence of styles and music of extreme sources into new merged musical compositions. Khayam's music is often driven from various sources with curiosity towards new sonorities of instruments and instrumental combinations.
Kronos Quartet joined by the American pianist and producer Stephen Prutsman commissioned and recorded Khayam's music in production of Monir (2014) directed by Bahman Kiarostami, a documentary film on the life and art of the Iranian female visual artist Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian. The film has been on show in Guggenheim, MOMA, ICA, TATE Modern, among other contemporary museums, and has been toured in Europe, Asia, and South America. Khayam's original music to Ivanov (2011) directed by Amir Reza Koohestani, a production by Mehr Theater Group, was staged in Lisbon, Campo Alegre, Heerlen, Utrecht, Amsterdam, Zurich, Basel, Hanover, Brussels, as well as in Iran.
Khayam's discography includes over a dozen publications including "RAAZ" (2020, 30M Records) Songlines 5-start choice Best Album of the Year (March/2021, Middle East), "Music for Tar and Piano" (Tehran Records, 2017) chosen Best Album of the Year MUSICEMA, "All of You" (Hermes Records, 2011) Songlines (75th issue) 4-star choice Best Album of the Year (Middle East).
Khayam's music has been performed by Kronos Quartet, Stephen Prutsman, Hossein Alizadeh, Anja Lechner, Aram Talalyan, Todd Palmer, Szofia Boros, Golfam Khayam, Mona Matbou Riahi, Elina Bertina, Evgeny Bushkov, Artur Avanesov, Wayne Foster-Smith, Eva-Christina Schonweiss, Kirsten Ecke, Burghard Toelke, Klara Ausserhuber, Morrison Trio, Scheherazade Ensemble, LSCO Orchestra, Naregatsi Strings, Ukraine Philharmonic Orchestra, Nilper Orchestra, Moscow Virtuosi Strings, and others.
During the period of working on his doctorate degree, he held many concerts including the concert of Khayam's quatrains and the 2005 concert of the Florence Music Festival in Italy led by Professor Jules Hoffmann. In the United States, he taught music theory and composition at the University of Cincinnati.
Works
Orchestral music NameYearDescriptionSuite Poétique 2000 -Concerto for Piano and Orchestra no 1 2003 -Calm2006For String OrchestraStained Glass 2007For Piano and String OrchestraTorkaman2008For Setar Trio and String OrchestraOsyan2008 –Concerto for Cello and Strings no 1 2009 –Serenade for Violin and String Orchestra 2010 –Before the Dream is Over 2012for piano and orchestraKalileh, Ballet 2015commissioned by LSCODaylight Twilight, Concerto for Cello and Strings no 2 2017 –Rhapsody in Turquoise, For Piano and Orchestra 2016 -2017commissioned by LSCOTriple Concerto for Kamancheh, Piano, Persian Percussions, and String Orchestra 2018commissioned by Stephen PrutsmanSelection from "The Other Side" 2018Arranged for string orchestra, premiered by Moscow Virtuosi Strings, conducted by Evgeny BushkovPharos2020Concerto for Violin and Strings
Chamber music NameYearDescriptionPiano Trio no 1 1997 revised 2013 –Cello Sonata no 1 1998 –Cello Sonata no 2 2003 –Two Pieces for Wind Ensemble 2005 –Kubeh For String Octet 2006 –Chang for cello and piano 2007commissioned by Wayne Foster-SmithA Proper Opening for string quintet 2007 –Die Feen von Neukölln for violin and harp 2007commissioned by Eva-Christina Schonweiss and Kirsten EckeJala Piano Quintet 2009Tribute to Rouhollah Khaleghi (Iranian Composer, 1906 – 1965)I Waited for You in Rain Piano Trio no.2 2010 –Arco de Luna for two violins 2010 –Rhapsody for Clarinet and Piano2012commissioned by Stephen PrutsmanMonir for String Quartet 2013commissioned by Stephen Prutsman and Kronos QuartetGarden I, for viola and guitar 20132016, rearranged for cello and pianoGarden II, for cello solo 20142018, rearranged for viola soloOn the Seashore String Quartet no.3 2014 –String Quartet no.4 2017 –Songs of the Quarantine2020for solo instruments
Vocal music NameYearDescriptionStardust 2003based on poems of IrisBook of Lonely Songs 2005 –Rubaiyat (for soprano and percussion ensemble), based on poems of Omar Khayam 2005 –Reeds (for countertenor and piano), based on prose by Rumi 2007 –Moones set of seven songs for voice and piano) based on Persian traditional music 2010 –
Piano works NameYearDescriptionKaviri1993 –Sonata no 1 1999 –Tatari2001–2006 –Bahar Street2003 –Sonata no 2 "Jazz Sonata"2003 –Thousand Acacias1996–2010 –Sonata no.3 2005 –Sonata no.4 "en la memoria de un mar interminable"2009 –Sea's Seven Days2009 –Passacaglia Ravi-e Khyal2011Commissioned by Stephen Prutsman
Works for film, theater, and animation NameYearDescriptionTrilogy "Terra, Freedom, The Sun Eclipse2020directed by Gorg (Cefalú Film Festival)RAAZ2020directed by Gorg (Songlines *****)Tehran Bach 2019directed by GorgWolf Game2018directed by Abbass NezamdoostGod of Rakhsh2018directed by Gorg (Selected Cefalu Film Festival, Audience Awards)Impermanent2016feature film by Amir Azizi (Candidate Best Film of the Year, 5th Beijing International Film Festival)Spyker2015directed by Majed Neisi (war documentary)Migration2014video art by Pooya AryanpourMonir2013directed by Bahman KiarostamiExhale2013videoart by Pooya AryanpourIvanov2012directed by Amir Reza Koohestani, Mehr Theater GroupEverything Is Fine Here2012directed by Pourya Azarbayjani (Candidate Best Soundtrack of the Year, Jasmine International Film Festival, 2014)These Days, Those Days2011directed by Pooya AryanpourTwo Cold Meals for One2009directed by Amir AzimiNamayesh2003animation by Elika Hedayat
Education
Awards NameYearDescriptionRecipient of OICRM Doctoral Fellowship2020–2021 –Composer in Residence, Festival 4020 2017Traumstadt" Linz, Austria1st prize winner of International Composition2011Competition "Franz Schubert Und die Musik der Moderne" Graz, Austria1st prize winner of "Accent 03" Composition2003Competition, University of Cincinnati
Academic activities ActivitieYearAcademiContract Instructor, Carleton University2021Ottawa Visiting Scholar, Carleton University2020Ottawa Honorary Fellow2020City, University of LondonGuest Composer2012University of Music and Performing Arts GrazAssistant Professor, Music Department2005 – 2011 | 2013 – 2015University of Art, TehranVisiting Professor,2011–2012Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan, ArmeniaLecturer, CMPCP Conference2011University of CambridgeHonorary Fellow2011City University of London Artist in Residence2010Goethe Institute BerlinLecturer, School of Advanced Study, Institute of Music Research2010University of London
Publications Five volumes of Khayam's books have been published. Book titleYearDescriptionISBNSelected Works1371–1378Nader Book Publishing9664925577553Music for Piano1380–1387Ebtekar No Publications9789646579477Orchestra Leadership1996Comprehensive Guide to Leadership Techniques and Practices, by Max Rudolph, translated by Hoshyar Khayam, Atai Publications964313555199Poet's Piano1997Selected Articles Related to Piano Playing, Atai Publications96431357878
See also 2017 in classical music Ars lunga Hermes Records
Notes
External links Hoshyar Khayyam | Hermes Music Publishing Website Introducing Hoshyar Khayyam | Jam Jam Nova website
Donald Trump travel ban concert duluth orchestra pulls plug show iranian composer